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As many of you know we are facing a government shutdown and a possible default on our debt. We are facing a budget stalemate mainly because of one senator, U.S. senator from Texas, Ted Cruz. While the House of Representatives has already tried and failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Senator Ted Cruz has taken it one step further. He is threatening to shut down the government unless President Obama and the Democrats delay or defund the Affordable Care Act. This is an extreme political threat, even by today’s political standards. The Democrats never issued a serious threat to default on our debt when Bush was president. The Democrats never demanded President Bush pull out all of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan or push the country to a default.

Ted Cruz and the Tea Party are threatening to damage the economy unless they get their way. There really isn’t a different way to describe this other than a temper tantrum by the Tea Party. There is no way President Obama or the Democrats will go along with this. I don’t believe Ted Cruz cares about his party or about the U.S. economy. I think he is doing this because he wants to solidify his status as the new Tea Party senator and use it to run for president. If he thinks that this gamble will benefit him in the long run he is sorely mistaken.

If we default on our debt, our economy will take a huge toll as will the Republican Party. Many mainstream Republicans know the risk Cruz is taking. There are moderate Republicans that want to do something but are afraid of being primary challenged. Senator Cruz knows what he is doing is dangerous but he doesn’t care. He cares about his own ambitions and doesn’t care if the country he claims to love takes an economic hit.

I have no problem if any senator is against the Affordable Care Act or has different views than me. I do have a problem if they are determined to threaten the U.S. economy unless they get their way.